They say there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. If we were to add a third certainty to that list, it might be that we generally have inflation as well. But if rising prices on consumer goods are a fact of life, why are some people surprised when the cost of prescription drugs increase as well?

Anyone involved in clinical work knows investigator engagement is not an easy task. Gathering real-time feedback during a trial, selecting the right investigators, and effectively engaging with sites and investigators can be a monumental challenge.

Earlier this year Invesco Perpetual, an investment firm with holdings in Big Pharma companies including Pfizer, Merck, and GSK, announced a $50 million investment in DrugDev, a data sharing platform for clinical trial doctors with an online network of more than 80,000 clinical trial doctors in 93 countries. DrugDev stated at the time that the money would be used to enhance its clinical trial technology as well as acquire companies with complementary technologies. The first of those companies is CFS Clinical. DrugDev announced it has acquired the company, a provider of business and financial management activities for trials, as part of its plan to help companies control the spiraling cost of clinical trials.

When choosing a partner to participate in your human clinical trial, does it matter if you select a state- or federally chartered clinical facility versus a privately operated clinic or hospital? David Shuey, North America life sciences practice leader for insurance brokerage firm Willis Group Holdings plc., believes it does. In fact, if you are not aware of the differences, it could cost you dearly should a problem arise. The issue is sovereign immunity, an ancient carryover from England that is designed to protect the government from lawsuits.

On a global scale, the number of new molecular entities (NMEs) in development—and, more importantly, the number being approved by regulatory authorities— has dropped significantly in recent years.

With each passing year, clinical trials are becoming increasingly global. The business of product development is moving away from the traditional model in which studies are conducted primarily in the US – in fact, recent estimates indicate that within the next three years, up to 65 per cent of studies under FDA regulation will be conducted outside the US. A review of a US government clinical trials registry and of 300 published reports in major medical journals revealed that one third (157 of 509) of Phase III trials were being conducted entirely outside the US, with over half the study sites (13,521 of 24,206) used in these trials located overseas, many in eastern Europe and Asia.

Like its peers of all sizes operating in the United States, this Top 20 Pharma has faced the challenge of anticipating and addressing the Physician Payment Sunshine Provision (PPSP) within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2009. Presented By Jim DiCesare, VP and General Manager, Contract and Regulatory Services